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A NICKEL A PACK — Around the turn of the 20th century a body could buy a 10-pack of Hassan Cork Tip Cigarettes for a nickel — one-quarter the cost of other Turkish-style brands. In an effort to drive off competition from imports, J.B. Duke of American Tobacco Co. had blended Turkish and domestic leaf to create Hassan and other “Oriental Smokes” at a lower price point. In 1907 the company started inserting collectible cards in packs of such brands to further boost sales. By 1911 — before the U.S. Supreme Court ordered its dissolution — American Tobacco controlled 90 percent of the domestic tobacco market, netting more than $30 million a year. No small change at a nickel a pack.
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